A small spot for me to publish random thoughts that might help other writers find that tiny voice echoing feebly inside their heads.

Thursday, May 04, 2017

First Meeting from Blacksmith's Heart by Dellani

Hana
Sutherland has accompanied her great aunt, Enid, to relax and
recuperate at a dude ranch in New Mexico. While her aunt is resting,
she decides to take in the local sights, including a rodeo
demonstration given by some of the young men who work there. One man,
Jasper Flying Eagle, catches her eye.

Jasper
dusted himself off, but instead of walking back to join the others,
he came over to where Marnie and Hana were sitting. Grinning happily,
he stopped and looked up at them. His eyes were an astonishing dark
green, almost the color of his shirt. Hana's heart fluttered again
and she felt a blush rise up her throat as Jasper casually looked her
over, eyes lingering on hers. An emerald sparkle lurked at the
depths.

Jasper
chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as if remembering a rather
unpleasant experience. "Well, she's been coming here since
before I was born. Yeah, I know her. I know what it feels like to get
rapped upside the head by her too." He chuckled softly.

"Aunt
Enid knows how to cuff a kid, that's for sure!" Hana rubbed her
own neck with the memory. "She grew up in the spare the rod and
spoil the child era."

Jasper
tossed his dark hair out of his eyes, laughing happily. He had white,
even teeth and full lips. Hana had to stop herself from staring until
she realized he probably was used to being closely inspected by
women. He carried himself with confidence and an air of nonchalance
as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"You
two eating at the big house tonight?"

It
was phrased offhandedly, but Hana suspected there was more to the
question than he wanted to let on. Maybe he had a thing for Marnie?
In which case, it sucked to be Hana, because of the available men, he
was the one she was most attracted to.

Marnie
looked at Hana. "So, you want to?"

"I'll
have to see what Auntie wants to do first, but I'd like to. Do I have
to dress up?"

"Casual
is great," Marnie told her. "Some of the guests go all out
with the cowboy theme. One guy dresses as Roy Rogers and his wife
does the whole Dale Evans thing. It's cute when they get up and sing
their old songs with the karaoke. But you don't have to do that much.
You can show me what you've got, we'll get you set."

"Super!"
He grinned happily, his green eyes sparkling. "I hope to see you
there then. Seven o'clock," He added as an afterthought. He
swaggered off, dusting the seat of his pants with the brim of his
hat.